I saw this in a email & thought I'd share.
Growers defensive as doctor raises starfruit danger
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: Starfruit (also known as carambola)
can be life-threatening to people with kidney problems.
Professor Dr Tan Si Yen, a medical specialist at the
University Malaya Medical Centre, said the fruit contains a
neurotoxin and a high level of oxalic acid (or oxalate) which
could be harmful to renal patients.
Dr Tan was referring to retiree Tang Gon Seang, who allegedly
slipped into a coma after eating starfruit in China.
Dr Tan said the weakened kidneys of renal patients were not
able to process the high level of oxalate, causing the organ
to fail.
Speaking at the MCA Public Service and Complaints Bureau
yesterday, he said typical symptoms occurred within one to
five hours.
They include persistent hiccups, nausea, vomiting, agitation,
insomnia, mental confusion and convulsions.
"It can also cause death but it can be treated through
aggressive dialysis sessions," said Dr Tan, adding that no
deaths had been recorded so far.
He stressed that starfruit poisoning only occurred if some
degree of kidney failure already existed.
"In Tang's case, he was already having kidney problems and
when he consumed the starfruit, he could not process the
neurotoxin and oxalic acid, causing him to go into a coma."
Dr Tan said as little as half of a fruit or less than eight
ounces of juice could cause serious symptoms in a kidney
patient.
The only medical treatment for starfruit intoxication is
prompt kidney dialysis.
He said researchers in Brazil and Taiwan were studying how
starfruit causes serious life-threatening reactions in kidney
patients.
Meanwhile, starfruit growers in the country denied that the
fruit could be a health hazard to kidney patients.
Chairman of the Malaysian Fruit Exporter Association and a
starfruit grower, Ricky Yong, said it was not fair for any
party to make allegations about starfruit.
"Proper studies have yet to be conducted," he said.
Yong said other factors such as pesticides and agricultural
practices could also be a cause for Tang's condition.
Another starfruit grower, Kit Chan, shared Yong's sentiments.
He said without a proper announcement by the Agriculture
Department, it was not fair to make allegations about the ill
effects of eating starfruit.
"No science journal has come out with any such statement about
the fruit."
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Patty
I drink wine to make other people more interesting 
